Heating means for ironers



July 13, J. B. SANDO HEATING MEANS FOR IRONERS Filed Dec. 6, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Joseph 5 Sande BY ATTORNEY lax-Li J. B. SANDO Filed Dec. 6 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 13, 1943.

HEATING MEANS FOR IRONERS July 13, 1943. J. B. SANDO HEATING MEANS FOR IRONERS s Sh eets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 6, 1940 RNA a l NQ T i QL A Q R mm WM n 1 W WW WU h J & nmw w wm 9w I N V EN TOR J05 6,0/7 5.30/700 wfi/ w ATTORNEY Patented July 13, 1943 PATENT OFFICE HEATING MEANS FOR IRONERS Joseph B. Sando, Kansas City, Mo., assignor to Western Laundry Machinery Company, a corporation of Missouri Application December 6, 1940, Serial No. 368,836

20 Claims.

My invention relates to ironing machines, and more particularly to heating means for flat work and other ironers, and to means for mounting a heated chest, or stationary shoe, for fiat work ironers, my invention being an improvement over that disclosed in the application of William O. Manley for patent on Flat work ironer, Serial No. 292,675, filed August 30, 1939.

In ironing machinery, particularly in laundry machinery, such as fiat work ironers, it is highly desirable to obtain a temperature of the ironing surface that is above 212 degrees Fahrenheit. With the use of steam, as is customary in laundry machinery, it would be necessary to increase the pressure to such a hight point as to be dangerous, in order to obtain a temperature high enough above 212 degrees Fahrenheit to be highly eifective. Temperatures near 500 degrees Fahrenheit are often desirable in laundry machinery of this character, and in order to obtain temperatures as high as 500 degrees Fahrenheit with safety, it is necessary to utilize a liquid that has a higher boiling point than the highest temperature that is desired, so that no high pressures are necessary in order to get the desired heating value out of the heating medium. Such temperetures can be easily obtained by the use of oils or other liquids, that do not deposit carbon, or other undesirable ingredients, at temperatures as high as that mentioned. It has been found that in order to get the desired heating effect from a liquid heating medium, it is necessary to have constant interchange of heat between the liquid medium and the wall of the ironing member, such as can only be obtained by movement of the liquid over the wall of the member that is to be heated and return of the same promptly to the heating apparatus, rather than keeping a large body of liquid in the heating chamber within the chest, or hollow shoe, or presser head, or other hollow member, the wall of the ironing surface of which has to be heated.

In order to accomplish such heating, I have rovided heating means wherein a liquid can be heated, and supplied to the ironing apparatus by any suitable circulating means in such a manner that sufiicient pressure is provided that the liquid heating medium can be discharged onto the inner wall of the ironing member on the opposite surface thereof from that which constitutes the ironing surface in a jet, or spray, but without putting any high pressure on the liquid that might be harmful in case of leakage. The pressure on the liquid in the supply consure this.

and prevent accidental blow-outs.

between five and ten pounds per square inch, in contradistinction to pressures of 100 pounds per square inch, and over, now used in steam heated chests for ironers.

5 The liquid is, preferably, conveyed into the interior of the chest, or hollow shoe, and discharged onto the wall that is to be heated, so that the same flows over said wall and is quickly conveyed to a discharge outlet, the major por- 10 tion of the chamber within the ironing member containing no liquid and the contents thereof, after discharge from the nozzles through which the same is discharged, are under no pressure whatsoever, venting means being provided to as- This makes it possible to provide an ironing machine that is comparatively light in construction and which is principally made of sheet metal, and which requires the use of no heavy cast wall members to withstand pressure Furthermore, by engaging a liquid heating medium from a nozzle directly against the wall to be heated a much higher temperatur of the ironing surface can be obtained than with steam, whether introduced into the chest in the usual manner or discharged from a nozzle against the wall to be heated.

It has been found particularly effective in iron ing flat Work, to heat the flat work ironing member, in the form of a stationary shoe, or chest,

to its highest temperature in a zone that the flat work first engages when moved into engagement with the ironing member, and in order to accomplish this purpose I, preferably, locate the nozzles, or other members, discharging the liquid against the wall, the outer surface of which is the ironing surface, near the side of the ironing member to which the work is first presented when entering the ironer, and directing the nozzles in such a manner that a large quantity of the liquid is discharged against the wall that forms the ironing surface near the portion of said ironing member at which the work enters into cooperative relation with such ironing member. However, it is to be understood that the entire ironing surface is supplied with the heating liquid by the nozzles, due to the fact that the liquid will not only be discharged against the wall that forms the ironing portion of the chest, or hollow shoe, but will quickly spread out over this surface so as to form a relatively thin, quickly moving body of said liquid over the entire inner surface of the wall, the opposite surface of which forms the ironing surface.

In an ironing machine of the character reduits suitable for the apparatus illustrated is ferred to, the hollow stationary chests, or shoes,

are preferably, provided with convex outer surfaces on the under side thereof, with which the fiat work is engaged by means of a plurality of flexible bands, or ribbons, that exert an upward pressure on the work to hold it against the shoe, or chest, and thus an upward pressure is exerted on the shoe, or chest. It is an important purpose of my invention to provide a mounting for a flat work ironer chest, or hollow shoe, that is so constructed as to suspend said hollow shoe, or chest, from said support, and to restrict the upward pressure of said bands, or ribbons, and at the same time to compensate for variations in the size of the parts due to temperature changes. The body portion of the shoe, or chest, is, of course, at a very high temperature when in operation, with the liquid being projected thereagainst by the nozzles. The mounting means most closely in engagement with said chest, or shoe, will be somewhat responsive to the temperature changes that will occur when the ironer is put in operation and when it is allowed to cool, while the remainder of the mounting constituting the frame of the machine will be substantially at a uniform temperature, or very nearly so. My improved mounting compensates for the variations in proportions of the parts due to these temperature variations and the differential between the same in the different parts of the device.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the description of the drawings proceeds. I desire to have it understood, however, that I do not intend to limit myself to the particular details shown or described, except as defined in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a flat work ironer to which my invention is applied.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of one of the stationary ironing members of said ironing machine and the mounting therefor.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 01 Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3, on a somewhat enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a similar view, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of one end of such an ironing member, as shown in Fig. 4, on substantially the same scale as Fig. 4.

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 of the other end of said ironing member.

Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line 8-B of Fig. 6 on a still larger scale, and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view partly in plan and partly in horizontal section, taken on the lin 99 of Fig. '7.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the improved ironing machine, comprises any suitable frame that includes vertically extending frame members 29, on which are mounted suitable horizontally extending frame members 2|. On the horizontally extending frame members are mounted supporting members 23, which are shown as being made in the form of I-beams. Said supporting members extend longitudinally of the ironing members and are secured at one end thereof in fixed position to a horizontally extending frame member 2|, by means of bolts and nuts 24, said bolts extending through the lower flanges of the I-beam-like members 23 and through the horizontally extending flange of the frame member 2| at one end of the frame. The supporting members 23 are mounted for limited movement lengthwise of themselves at the other end thereof by means of bolts and nuts 25, said bolts extending through slots 26 in the flanges of the I-beam-like members 23.

The chest-like shoes constituting the ironing members are mounted on the supporting members 23, said ironing members having a curved bottom wall 21, which is convexly curved transversely of the ironing member on the outer face thereof on a gradual curve to near the vertical walls 28, a portion of relatively sharp curvature 29 connecting each of the vertical walls 28 with the more gradually curved wall portion 21. The vertically extending longitudinal walls 28 of the ironing member have extensions 30 that extend upwardlybeyond the top wall 3| of the chestlike member. It will be noted that the wall 3| is spaced slightly from the lower flange of each I-beam-like member 23. Welded to the upward extensions 30 of the walls 28 are blocks 32, which are mounted on the upper faces of the flanges of the I-beam-like members 23, as will be clear from Fig. 4. Said blocks 32 are located substantially at one end of the chest-like ironing member, or shoe, and near said end of the supporting members 23 in alignment with the blocks 32 are threaded nut-like members 33 that arewelded to the web portions of the members 23. The blocks 32 have unthreaded openings therein receiving the shank portions of the bolts 34, the threaded portions 35 of which engage the threads in the members 33, the web portions 23 being provided with openings 36 in alignment with the threaded openings in the nut-like members 33, permitting the screw-threaded portions 35 of the bolts 34 to pass into the same should this be necessary for-proper adjustment of said bolt-like members. It will be seen from the foregoing description that the chest-like members, or hollow ironing shoes, are mounted in fixed position at one end thereof adjacent one end of each of the supporting members of a pa1r.

A plurality of blocks 31, similar to the blocks 32, but having no threaded openings therein, are provided on the extensions 3!] of the vertical walls 28, these being substantially in alignment with the blocks 32 and being arranged in spaced arrangement along the length of each of the extensions 30. Said blocks 3'! are fixed to the extensions 33 by being welded thereto, and are slidably mounted on the lower flanges of the supporting members 23, as will be obvious from Fig. 5. The ironing shoe, or hollow chest-like ironing member, will thus be mounted slidably on the supporting members 23, except at the connection provided by means of the bolt-like members 34, so that said blocks 3'! can slide longitudinally 0n the flanges of the supporting members 23 to compensate for any difference in the length of the members 23 and of the chestlike, or shoe-like, ironing member, when expansion of these parts takes place during the heating f the ironing member, or when contraction of these parts takes place, as when the operation of the ironing member is stopped and the same is allowed to cool. Thus no stresses will be put on any of the connections due to the expansion and contraction caused by temperature changes, which would cause a differential in expansion and contraction between the various members of the mounting and the ironing member. Of course, the supporting members 23 will be heated to a much less extent than the wall of the ironing member, that has the convex outer surface 21, and much less than the upward extensions 39 on the side walls 28, and the expansion and contraction thereof will accordingly be much less than that of the ironing member. This is furthermore reduced due to the fact that insulating material 38 is provided between a sheet metal cover 39, having depending flanges 49 thereon, and the upward extensions 39 and the top wall 3| of the ironing member, the members 3|, 39, 40 and 30 forming a casing, or housing, within which said insulating material 38 is packed.

While a considerable space is shown in the drawings between the flanges 40 and the upward extensions 36 on the walls 28, and between the bottom flanges of the I-beam-like supporting members 23 and the top wall 3| of the chamber within the ironing member, this spacing is somewhat exaggerated, but should be sufficient to allow for variations in size between the parts due to the difference in the temperatures of the same under various conditions. The sheet metal housing member 39 also has end flanges 4| extending around the ends of the members 23 to enclose the same, and it will be noted that these are spaced a considerable distance from the end walls 42 and 42 of the ironing members themselves, as will be clear from Fig. 3. It will be furthermore noted that at the heads of the bolts 34 the flanges 40 are cut away so as to provide for freedom of longitudinal movement between the flanges 40 and the upward extensions 30 on the ironing member, and that washers 43 are provided between the heads of the bolts and the upward extensions 30.

The end walls 42 and 42' of the ironing shoe, or chest, are made of thicker material than the walls 3|, 2! and 28 and are integrally connected therewith by welding or in some similar manner. The end wall 42 has a pair of openings 44 therein, which are of a peculiar shape, so as to provide for easy insertion of the conduits and nozzles carried thereby, which will be described below, into the interior of the chest-like ironing member, having a rounded upper portion 65 that is partly circular, and lateral extensions 66 adjacent the bottom thereof with a straight transverse edge portion 61 extending along the bottom of the opening from one lateral extension to the other. Openings 44 of identical shape are provided in the end walls 42'.

A closure member 45 is provided on the end wall 42 of each member for closing one of the openings 44, and a closure member 46 is provided on an end wall 42 of each of the ironing members for closing the other opening 44, said closure members being held in clamping engagement with the end wall 42 by means of screw-threaded headed fastening elements 41. Any suitable gasket means, such as that shown at 48, is provided between the member 45 and the member 46, and the wall 42. The closure member 45 has a tubular projection in the form of a boss 49 thereon, which has an opening therethrough that is provided with an inwardly extending annular rib 50, and with internally screw-threaded portions and 52 on opposite sides of said rib. The closure members 45 also have inwardly extending bosses 53 that screw-threadedly receive the fastening elements 41. An inlet conduit 54 for the heated liquid, that is used for heating the ironing member, screW-threadedly engages the screw threads 5| in the boss 49 and the conduit 55 that is cated within the ironing member and carries the nozzles to be described below, is screW-threadedly engaged with the threads 52, provided in the boss 49, the ends of said tubular members engaging the annular flange 50. Thus the closure member 45 is both a closure member for the opening 44 with which it is associated, and also a coupling between the conduits 54 and 55 and a mounting for the conduit 55 at one end thereof.

One of the openings 44 in the end Wall 42' is provided with a closure member 46, such as above referred to, and the other opening 44 is provided with a closure member 56, a suitable gasket 48, such as previously described, being mounted between the closure member 56 and the wall 42' and also, of course, between the closure 46 and the member 42, screw-threaded headed fastening elements 41 securing said closure member 56 in position, the same engaging in the internally screw-threaded bosses 53, provided on the end wall 42'. The closure member 56 has an inwardly extending bracket member 51 thereon, that extends into the chamber within the hollow chestlike ironing member and is transversely concave on the upper surface thereof to receive the closure cap member 58 on the end of the conduit 55 lying adjacent the wall 42'. V

The conduit 55 has a plurality of openings therein that extend obliquely to the vertical in a downward direction when the conduit 55 is in proper position within the ironing member. Tubular members 59 are fixed in said openings, preferably, by welding, or in a similar manner, and are screw-threaded at 60 to receive the cap-like members 6|, that are each provided with a restricted opening 62 in the end wall 63 thereof. Said tubular members and cap members form nozzles that extend downwardly from the tubular conduit 55 at an oblique angle on opposite sides of said conduit at an angle of substantially 60 degrees to the vertical.

Means is provided for conveying the work into engagement with the convex outer face of the wall 21 of the shoe, or chest-like ironing member, and only the portion of the conveying means that actually cooperates with said ironing member, or shoe, is shown in Fig. 1. The conveying means that cooperates with the upper ironing member is indicated by the numeral 68 and travels in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. l, the work thus being carried from right to left across the ironingsurface of the ironing member. It will be noted that the conduit 55 is located near the entrance side for the work moving into engagement with the ironing member, and that one of the nozzle members shown in Fig. 4, indicated generally by the numeral 69 in Fig. 4, is directed so that the opening 62 therein will project the liquid into engagement with the wall 21 at substantially the junction of the more sharply curved wall portion 29 therewith, and that the other nozzle member shown in Fig. 4, and indicated generally by the numeral 10 therein, is directed toward the other side of the gradually curved. wall 21, so that the liquid discharged therefrom will strike said wall 21 slightly beyond the middle thereof. While the exact angularity of the nozzles and the exact point toward which these direct the liquid discharged therefrom, can be varied, the important thing is that one thereof directs the liquid to a point near the entrance side for the work of the ironing member, and the other in an opposite direction, and that the nozzles are located much nearer the entrance side of the ironing member than the exit side thereof, to thus heat the ironing member to a much higher temperature at and adjacent the entrance side thereof than over the remainder of the ironing surface.

Upon referring to Figs. 2 and 3 it will be noted that the nozzle members 69 and I alternate and are arranged in staggered relation to each other. The spacing of said nozzle-like members is such that the entire inner surface of the wall portion 2! and the largest portion of the surface of the wall portions 29 will have a thin layer of the heating liquid passing thereover constantly. In the ironing member shown in Fig. 1, a conveyor member made up of bands, or ribbons, and indicated generally by the numeral H, is shown as cooperating with the lower ironing member shown in the drawings, said conveyor ll traveling in the opposite direction, from conveyor 68 and the entrance side of said ironing member being at the left, in the case of said lower ironing member, the arrangement of the closure members being reversed from that above described, and the conduit 55 being located nearest the left hand side of the lower ironing member, as viewed in Fig. 1. The provision of the paired openings 44, it will thus be evident, is provided so that the ironing members can be used either as rights or lefts, without providing different body portions therefor.

Each of the ironing members is provided with a discharge opening in the wall 42, said opening being indicated by the numeral 12 and being located at the bottom-most point of said wall 42, so as to quickly and completely drain the ironing member. Due to this arrangement, a very rapid travel of the hot liquid over the inner face of the wall of the ironing surface is obtained. A return conduit 13 is provided, which is provided with suitable coupling members 14, that connect the conduit sections together and also connect the conduit 13 with the interior of the ironing member, the coupling members being shown as being integrally mounted, as by casting, or welding, on the walls 42 the passage 15 therein leading into the interior of the coupling members 14 so as to communicate with the threaded opening receiving the conduit 13.

Ihe uppermost coupling member 14 is provided with a vented plug 15 for closing the same at the upper end thereof, said plug venting all the chambers within the chests, or shoes, connected with the pipe 13, to prevent building up of either pressure or a vacuum therein that might damage the light weight shoe, or chest, disclosed herein. It is, of course, to be understood that any suitable means for circulating the liquid may be provided, so that sufficient pressure is provided that the liquid will be discharged through the openings 82 in the nozzles with sufficient force as to engage the wall 21 at high velocity. The pressure is, however, relatively small and is not such that there would be any danger of any breakage of connections in the conduits provided for the carrying f the heating liquid to and from the ironing members. It is, of course, obvious that either a jet or a spray could be used for discharging the liquid onto the inner face of the wall of the ironing member that has the ironing surface thereon, this depending upon the size of the opening, the character of the opening, and the pressure that is applied to the liquid. It has been found preferable to discharge the liquid in the form of a jet, rather than a fine spray, and the nozzles illustrated, under the low pressures ordinarily used, would produce such a jetlike discharge of the liquid.

What I claim is:

1. In an ironing machine, an ironing member having a hollow body portion forming a chamber provided with an imperforate bottom wall the outer face of which is an ironing surface, and means for engaging streams of a heated liquid with the inner face of said wall at a high velocity at a plurality of points and flowing said liquid rapidly in a thin body over said inner face toward a discharge outlet, comprising liquid distributing means mounted entirely within said chamber and having means for discharging streams of said liquid downwardly at an oblique angle against the inner face of said wall, and means for continuously draining said liquid from said chamber at the bottom thereof as rapidly as discharged into the same.

2. In an ironing machine, an ironing member having a hollow body portion forming a chamber provided with an imperforate bottom wall the outer face of which is an ironing surface, and spaced nozzles within said body portion directing heated liquid at high velocity obliquely downwardly against the inner face of said wall, said chamber having a liquid outlet adjacent the bottom thereof of such proportions as to prevent accumulation of liquid in said chamber.

3. In a flat work ironer, a hollow stationary ironing member, said ironing member having an imperforate bottom wall providing an ironing surface, means for carrying the work into engagement with said ironing surface and transversely across the same from one side to the other side thereof while holding said work in contact therewith, and means for heating said ironing surface to its highest temperature at the portion thereof first engaged by said work in its movement across said ironing surface, comprising means for engaging a liquid heating medium at high velocity with said wall at the side thereof first engaged by said work.

4. Ina fiat work ironer, a hollow stationary ironing member, said irOning member having a wall providing an ironing surface, means for carrying the work into engagement with said ironing surface and transversely across the same from one side to the other side thereof while holding said work in contact therewith, and means for heating said ironing surface to its highest temperature at the portion thereof first engaged by said work in its movement across said ironing surface, comprising nozzles discharging heated liquid against the inner face of said wall adjacent the side of the ironing surface first engaged by said work.

5. In a fiat work ironer, a hollow stationary ironing member having an ironing surface on the under face thereof, flexible conveying means extending transversely under said ironing member for carrying and holding the work in contact with said ironing member, said conveying means exerting an upward pressure on said ironing member, and means for mounting said ironing member, comprising a frame, spaced supporting members connected with said frame and extending lengthwise of said ironing member at opposite sides thereof, said ironing member having a top wall engaging said supporting members to resist the upward pressure of said conveying means, and means on the opposite sides of said ironing member engaging said supporting members to suspend said ironing member therefrom.

6. In a fiat work ironer, a hollow stationary sheet metal ironing member having an ironing surface on the under face thereof, movable conveying means extending under said ironing member for carrying and holding the work in contact with said ironing member, and means for mounting said ironing member against movement bodily on a fixed support, said mounting means supporting said ironing member at a plurality of points along its length and comprising means fixing said ironing member to said fixed support near one end thereof, and means permitting the major portion of said ironing member to move lengthwise of itself on said support responsive to temperature variations of said ironing member.

7. In a fiat work ironer, a hollow stationary ironing'member having an ironing surface on the under face thereof, conveying means extending under said ironing member for carrying and holding the work in contact with said ironing member, and means for mounting said ironing member, comprising a frame, supporting members fixed to said frame at one end thereof and mounted for limited movement lengthwise of themselves on said frame at the other end thereof, said supporting members extending lengthwise of said ironing member, means on said ironing member engaging said supporting members to resist upward pressure of said conveying means, and means on said ironing member engaging said supporting members to suspend said ironing member therefrom, the mounting of said ironing member on said supporting members fixing the same thereto at one end thereof and permitting movement of said ironing member relative to said supporting member responsive to temperature variations of said ironing member except at said end.

8. In a laundry machine, a hollow member to be heated having an imperforate curved bottom wall and having a body of air at atmospheric pressure therein, and means for heating said member, comprising conduit means extending within said hollow member for conducting a liquid having a higher boiling point than water into the interior of said member out of contact with the walls thereof, and nozzles directed to discharge streams of said liquid from said conduit means at high velocity downwardly through said body of air against said imperforate curved bottom wall, said hollow member having means adjacent the lowest point, of said bottom wall for discharging said liquid therefrom at a rate to prevent accumulation thereof within said member, said last mentioned means being provided with a constantly open air vent.

9. In a fiat work ironer, a hollow stationary ironing member, Said ironing member having a wall providing an ironing surface, means for carrying the work into engagement with said ironing surface from one side thereof and holding said work in contact with said member, and means for heating said ironing surface comprising means near the side of said member with which said work first engages for engaging the inner side of said wall with a heated liquid and liquid discharge means cooperating therewith to pass said liquid in a thin layer over the inner side of said wall and out of said member.

10. In a fiat work ironer, a hollow stationary ironing member, said ironing member having an imperforate wall providing an ironing surface, means for carrying the work into engagement with said ironing surface from one side thereof and holding said work in contact with said member, and means for heating said ironing surface comprising nozzles within said member near the side thereof with which said work first engages directed obliquely toward said wall in opposite directions, means for supplying heated liquid to said nozzles, and means for discharging said liquid from said member at a rate to prevent accumulation thereof within said chamber.

11. In a laundry machine, a thin walled stationary hollow member having an imperforate bottom wall to be heated and means for heating said imperforate bottom wall of said member,'comprising means for conducting a liquid having a higher boiling point than Water at a pressure above that of the atmosphere into the interior of said member without subjecting the walls of said member to said pressure, and means for directing streams thereof at high velocity against said imperforate wall of said member to be heated and discharging said liquid from the bottom of said hollow member by gravity at a rate to prevent accumulation of a body thereof in said member without creating a pressure differential between the interior and exterior of said hollow member, said hollow member being provided with constantly open means for venting the same to the atmosphere.

12. In a laundry machine, an elongated hollow chest-like ironing member having a transversely curved bottom wall providing an ironing surface on the under face thereof, and means for discharging a heated liquid against the inner face of said wall obliquely to said face transversely of said member toward the opposite longitudinal sides thereof at a plurality of points along the length thereof.

13'. In a laundry machine, an elongated hollow chest-like ironing member having a transversely curved bottom wall providing an ironing surface on the under face thereof, a liquid conduit extending into said hollow member and lengthwise within the same, means for supplying heated liquid to said conduit and means on said conduit within said member for dischargingliquid therefrom, said means comprising two series of discharge devices, the discharge devices of said series alternating, those of one series directing said liquid against the inner face of said wall obliquely to said face toward one longitudinal side of said hollow member and those of the other series directing said liquid against the inner face of said Wall obliquely to said face toward the other longitudinal side of said hollow member. 14. In a laundry machine, an elongated hollow chest-like ironing member containing a large body of air at atmospheric pressure having a transversely curved wall providing an ironing surface on the outer face thereof, a liquid conduit extending into said hollow member and lengthwise Within the same, means for supplying heated liquid above atmospheric pressure to said conduit and means on said conduit within said member for discharging said liquid therefrom into said body of air, said means comprising two series of discharge devices, the discharge devices of said series alternating, those of one series directing said liquid at high velocity against the inner face of said wall obliquely to said face toward one longitudinal side of said hollow member and those of the other series directing said liquid at high velocity against the inner face of said Wall obliquely to said face toward the other longitudinal side of said hollow member.

15. In a laundry machine, an elongated hollow chest-like ironing member having a transversely curved bottom wall to provide a convex ironing surface on the under side of said wall, means for conveying work in contact with said ironing surface transversely of said member from one side to the other side thereof, said wall having a concave inner face, a liquid conduit extending into said member and lengthwise within the same, said conduit being spaced from the top of said chest-like member and extending nearer the side of said member first engaged by said work than the other side thereof, means for supplying heated liquid to said conduit and a plurality of discharge devices spaced along said conduit having means for directing liquid discharged therefrom against said concave inner face obliquely thereto toward the side of said member first engaged by said Work.

16. In a laundry machine, an elongated hollow chest-like ironing member haVing a transversely curved bottom wall to provide a convex ironing surface on the under side of said wall, means for conveying Work in contact With said ironing surface transversely of said member from one side to the other side thereof, said wall having a concave inner face, a liquid conduit extending into said hollow member and lengthwise within the same, said conduit being spaced from the top of said chest-like member and extending nearer the side of said member first engaged by said work than the other side thereof, means for supplying heated liquid to said conduit, a plurality of discharge devices spaced along said-conduit having means for directing liquid discharged therefrom against said concave inner face 0bliquely thereto toward the side of said member first engaged by said work, and a plurality of discharge devices spaced along said conduit having means for directing liquid discharged therefrom against said concave inner face obliquely thereto toward the other side of said member.

17. In a laundry machine, an elongated hollow chest-like stationary ironing member, means within said member for heating the same, said member having a sheet metal member forming the bottom thereof and upturned at opposite sides of said bottom to form side walls terminating in upstanding flanges along the side edges of said chest-like member, and means for mounting said member, comprising a frame, longitudinally extending supporting members on the inner sides of said flanges, and means on said flanges for suspending said member from said supporting members, comprising means for fixedly securing said flanges to said supporting mem bers at one end thereof and means on said flanges slidably engaging said supporting members at spaced points along the length of said flanges.

18. In an ironing machine, a stationary ironing member having a hollow body portion forming a chamber, said chamber being constantly open to the atmosphere and containing air at atmospheric pressure, said chamber having an imperforate transversely curved bottom wall the outer convex face of which is an ironing surface, and means for heating said wall comprising means mounted entirely within said chamber for discharging a heated liquid at high velocity against the inner face of only said bottom wall at an angle to sweep rapidly thereacross under the impetus of said velocity in a thin body and a discharge connection at the bottom of the lowest point of said bottom wall for draining said liquid from said chamber by gravity at atmospheric pressure at a rate to maintain all the liquid therein in motion and prevent accumulation of said liquid therein.

19. In a laundry machine, an elongated hollow stationary chest-like sheet metal ironing member having a transversely curved wall providing an ironing surface on the outer face thereof, means for maintaining air at atmospheric pressure in said ironing member and in contact with all the walls thereof except said transversely curved wall, a liquid conduit extending into said hollow member and lengthwise within the same, means for supplying a heated liquid to said conduit, and means on said conduit within said member for discharging liquid therefrom, said means directing said liquid transversely of said ironing member at high velocity against the inner face of said wall obliquely to said face.

20. In an ironing machine, a stationary ironing member having a hollow sheet metal body portion forming a chamber, said chamber being constantly open to the atmosphere at a point near the bottom thereof to maintain a body of air at atmospheric pressure therein, said chamber having a wall on one side only thereof the outer face of which is an ironing surface, said wall being imperforate, and means for heating said wall comprising means mounted entirely within said chamber for discharging a heated liquid at high velocity against the inner face of only said Wall at an oblique angle to sweep rapidly thereacross under the impetus of said velocity in a thin body, and means for draining said liquid from said chamber by gravity at atmospheric pressure at a rate to maintain all the liquid therein in motion and prevent accumulation of said liquid therein.

JOSEPH B. SANDO. 

